The bookies are laughing their way to the bank...all the pre-tournament favorites are starting to wear thin even after the second round. the French being crowned champions on July 11 is available for a more than mouth watering 201-1 at Ladbrokes while my favorites the Spaniards are now expected to finish third. The Dutch and the Germans have all moved up. The Oranje team was available for 13-1 before the tournament have been cut down to 8-1. I wouldn't mind placing some money on Italy at 17-1. But then all this advice can seem irrelevant since I am not a betting man.
http://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/2010-World-Cup-e210933160
But what may change my mind is the odds of Maradona running naked in Buenos Aires sometime in the middle of July. This piece of juicy news was in Simon Kuper's (FT's brilliant footy writer) blog today. "If we win the World Cup, I'll get naked and run around the Obelisk," Maradona said on May 26, referring to the tall monument that marks the center of the city and serves as its most famous landmark". But if you really want to predict the effect of this possible feat on the rest of the world, you really ought to see the location.....Hmmmm...for all you world Cup widows, this is going to be one helluva treat. Watch this space.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Buenos_Aires_-_Obelisco.jpg
So, the world cup has so far provided only two real 'watchable' games - the Mexico vs. France and the Swiss vs. Spain games. But what has taken centre stage (for me atleast) has been the passion that has been unleashed among the fans. I managed to watch the Netherlands Denmark game in front of 100 strong Dutch contingent just outside Amsterdam (and all of them with 2 vuvezelas each..or whatever sound making gadgets they are called) and after the game it seemed like the Dutch had actually won the WC. Pity the foreigners on Liedsplein on July 11 if they actually manage to do that. But to really understand the Dutch passion for football, all the schools in the country (I am told), had given the 2 hours off for the game and the teachers actually switched on the televisions at school to watch the games with the kids. 1,5 Million Dutch office goers reported sick that day (and remember there are only about 17 Million Dutch and far fewer officegoers...). Two days back, i had the fortune of landing at Zurich airport minutes after the Swiss had crushed the Spaniards and as my group walked along the Lake area towards the shopping district, we were stopped by at least 15 teenagers gesturing wildly (with the Swiss Cross flags tied to their backs to resemble red Batmen) and offering free Swiss beer - highly avoidable situations -i.e. Swiss teen gesticulations and Swiss beer...
Today I fly to Dubai and hopefully will watch the next 3 days games with friends from different countries. thankfully there will be no emirati Maradonas trying to emulate their Argentinian hero in Karama or at Mirdif...
Bye for now and enjoy the game ....
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